The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-03-10

jacksonville Hsra,d-l
MewTe ns9rasaa Rassa9Ds
II there b any one maSto whom Florida =
especially Indebted dQrinf the psese1l 500.
that man Ask@M. o., q thef Windeef HdeeI.
From soUtce4 mti&Dy daiside q h1nsell We
have learned u exteot aqd vsipe Of ~ reesnt
''I Al he crisissi timx Of De opausSs ssksoh.
that insane and ntRA-to-be- explained SCARE
about the missing touriste~ was developed byfa
Jacksonville newspaper, which, In simple char
i,y, shall be namele3 here. Such . publication
did ito evil work most speedily Northern and
pression Vas sown broadcast, % our great detri-
msnt that the tourists who came TO Florida thls'
season must be content to wander desolate amid
empty hotels End deserted streets amid univet-
sal dizziness aud ddpfessiob. Probsblyfa hun :;
dred men in Florida recognized Just As promptly
LEGATION, and regretted it Just as sincerely. But
Mr. OTvis' feeling did not end In mere idle re-
grets The injury demanded q prompt remedy.
The emergency required action, and he did not
wait for Others to act. He acted himself.
While great many people were wasting time
In useless indignation over the editorial stupid
ity ofa Florida citizen, and lamenting his fatal
folly, Mr.. Orvis was BEAUTIFULLY at work as
benefcent agent of countcracti0n. And he spent
himself upon this valuable work with liberality
of time and money which has produced superb
results.
From the morning that the " missing tourist
article first started on its destructive journey,
up to this time Mr.. Orvis has spent OUT of his
own pocket In the effort to correct its effects,
$4,000 of actual cash, In judicious advertisement
of FlOridaB attractions, and OF ito continued
popularity. He has inserted advertisements ia
$50 nesospapers stretching throughout this broad
land and reaching into several foreign countries.
Seventy-fiv newspapers of Florida alone have
received pay for legitimate advertisements
during the season. He has distributed thous-
ands of circulars, mailed thousands of books and
pamphlets, scattered thousands OF copies of
Florida newspapers, and has had for six weeks
in active operation, day and night, bureau of
Florida information in one of the best rooms of
the Winsdor. from which this healing and help
full literature, emphasized by hundreds of per-
sonal letters, has gone forth in a constant and
benefcent stream.
1t is impossible to estimate the good that has
been done by this plan. Scores of people with
their faces set toward California, or settled al
home for the winter, have been turned aside and
tempted to Florida by these missives of expla-
nation and refutatiOn OF a disagreeable and un-
truthful rumor. Hundreds OF the guests now
enjoying the elegant comforts of the WinsdOr,
st. James, Everett and other hotels have testi-
fed TO the effective power Of this judicously dis
tributed advertising, and il is doubtful if any
half dozen influences in Florida combined have
had 80 large and pleasing an effect upon the
pIcScut ScdSOu Vi udvcI aS MT +. II. OTVlS, Oh
the Winsdor
1t will not do 10 say that he was moved to
this action simply from selfinterest. or course,
his own interests had naturally large part in
the work, and it is fortunate that so much bene-
ft has come to Florida from such selfishness
Would we had more of it, But we know that
there was sagacty and longheadness, and a deep
regard for the future of the city and State which
moved our friend OF the Windsor to his liberal
and laboriOus work.
These are the friends worth having. Those
who do not shut up their hearts or hands or
purses when dull times come and help thereby
to depress and discourage, but throw their ener-
gies instead and their money, and their cheer
fulness into the scale against panic, and lift
things about them into sunshine and prosperity.
The Herald has not the slightest desire to COM
pliment Mr. Orvis, and has said this much with
out his permission, and no doubt to his great
surprise. But as a journalist of Jacksonville we
cannot refrain from citing as example the
good that has been done and the evil that has
been counteracted for the city by the prompt and
vigorous efforts of one liberal and sagacious Cit
izen. Orvis has done more for us than our
laundering contemporary has done against us,
and the city that tolerates the blunderer ought
certainly to appreciate the benefactor.